There are many types of devices available to transfer medical fluids from a container to the patient. There are peristaltic pumps, rotary pumps, and cassette pumps. Among these devices are pumps having disposable sections, and/or are made from a sterile material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,518 (Hubbard et al.), discusses a shaft driven disposable centrifugal pump designed for pumping blood. U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,698 (Clausen et al.), discusses a shaft driven centrifugal pump designed for pumping blood.
There are also many types of devices available for the purpose of keeping an item inflated to a certain level. They range from the fans that keep large scale devices inflated (balloons, “moon jump” toys, etc.) to those that inflate smaller items such as inner tubes and pool float toys. In the medical industry, pumps are used for infusion of air into a patients lungs, and for orthopedic bracing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,960 (Hossain et al.) discusses a dual peristaltic pumping/diaphragm vacuum diaphragm head for infusing/aspiration procedures. The teachings of the '960 patent include a disposable cassette, and a device that is made from a sterile material.
However, research has not uncovered a device that will suffice for the intentions of the preferred embodiment of the device disclosed in this patent.